It is important for users to attach a digital or conventional camera to an optical system in order to take pictures with the camera. In order to do so the lens of the camera needs to be removed and an adapter is used to mount the camera to the optical system. An additional feature for the user is to use the automatic mode of the camera for taking the pictures. The user should not be bothered with any manual settings of the camera. It would be extremely inconvenient for a user if he has to interrupt the observation in order to set the camera.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,212 shows an adapter for coupling a camera adapted to receive power from an endoscope to which the camera is coupled. The adapter is coupled between the ocular section of the endoscope and the mounting of the taking lens of the camera. The adapter has electric power terminals for providing the camera with electric power. The adapter can have a built in power source or a plug-in power source. There is no indication that the adapter simulated the presence of an objective to the camera.
German Utility Model DE 200 10 421 U1 discloses an adapter for attaching a camera to the photo tube of a microscope. Between the camera and the pipe like photo tube the adapter is provided. The mounting means enables an alignment between the optical axis of the camera and the optical axis of the microscope.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,462,771 discloses a still-picture acquisition method and device. A still-picture acquisition section in a computer selects a brightness-periodically-varying portion of image data of a living cell like a cardiac cell, as a sample, which makes a self-ordered periodic motion, monitors a change in brightness, and generates a trigger signal at the timing at which the value of the brightness exceeds a specific threshold value. This causes a camera body to repeatedly pick up the image of the living cell after a predetermined delay time and then averages the picked-up images. There is no indication of the use of a conventional camera to pick-up the images from the microscope.